Obituary

James Warner Forsythe was born in Niton, Alberta, Canada on March 24, 1923. From there they moved to Giscom, B.C. When he was four, his parents moved to Haynie, four miles east of Blaine where he lived for the rest of his life, except for some time during WWII. He passed away on March 26, two days after his 97th birthday.

He had a long and very interesting life. He and his brother A.E. (Choke) were called the Katzenjammer Kids by the neighbors because of all the mischief they got into. He went from the Haynie School House as an eighth grader to Custer where he met our mom. He started driving at the age of 14 and, once he was working in the coal mine while in high school, he was able to buy his own car, a model A. This allowed him to see more of our mother, Edna. He played football all four years at Custer High School. He said it was easy to make the team as there weren’t very many guys. He was a senior in high school when World War II started. He worked in the Bellingham coal mine until November 10, 1942 until he joined the Navy. He and his buddies were going to join the Marine Corps when they ran into a friend who had been in combat in the Pacific already and told them if they wanted to survive the war to join the Navy.

He and mom got married on June 23, 1944 in Virginia Beach. He was transferred to Philadelphia Naval shipyard to be on the Princeton, an aircraft carrier under construction. The war ended while it was on sea trials.

Once back home, James became involved in the fishing industry and boat building. He worked on salmon tenders, then back to the coal mine where he worked with his dad and his brother Choke. It was very dangerous work and soon both were injured at different times. He then worked at the Bellingham shipyard and Uniflite. He started purse Seining in 1955, first with Fritz Pfundt for four years, and then with Wally Green on the LaConner and the Eleanora.

In 1966, he decided to go trolling and bought his first Troller, the Lory. He and mom fished that boat for 10 years until 1976 and then traded it for the Zarembo. They fished it for 18 years then sold it to their grandson Chris and redid the Miracle that they had received from Mom’s brother Buster Dahle. They fished that boat for 10 years and then they hung it up when he was 83. All seven grandsons and one nephew fished at least one year with them. Jeff, Jim, Chris, John, and Jason and Sam Slaughter, David Forsythe, and nephew Scott McGarrigle.

They enjoyed pheasant hunting in Eastern Washington with a group of friends they called the Hay-Mich-Yew a Lummi club and later in South Dakota.

Jim is survived by his daughter Judy (David) Emley and son Dr. Larry (Susie) Forsythe; the Slaughter grandchildren, Jim (Kelly), Jeff (Erin), Chris (Geneva), John (Marlene), Jason, Sam, and Angela; David Forsythe (Lisa); Mary Ann (Curtis) Fenimore; sister Shirley McGarrigle of Largo, Florida; and many great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by our mother, Edna, in February 2018; his parents, brothers, Harry (Nancy) and A.E, “Choke” (Lila) Forsythe; sister Janet Mullikin; brother-in-law Chuck McGarrigle; and nephews Dr. Lance Forsythe and Dale Mullikin.

A Celebration of his life will be held later in June.

Memorials in lieu of flowers can be sent to the food bank of your choice, Whatcom Hospice, or to the Haynie Cemetery Fund c/o Connie Boice. (3333 McGee Rd. Custer, WA 98240).